Oh where, oh where has that little girl gone?

[inner_human]

Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2000
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Diagon Alley
Characters Involved: Peregrin Derrick, Winifred Wood, Dora Wimple (NPC), Remus Lupin, Severus Snape
Rating: G

Comments

[subtle_simmer]

Shite!

There had been no time to ask questions or consider alternatives, of course, but now, Severus was kicking himself for not planning better! He should have realised Wood was going to come right away, too. Was that not the intention?

However, he had not considered the possibility - even the likelihood that the idiot would have a bloody Auror in tow! He glanced up from the limp child in his arms to exchange a wary glance with Derrick and Remus. There was no WAY Severus was going to allow any of them to be incarcerated for being out after the bloody curfew over this. He offered the slightest nod of his head, trying to communicate to them that he had a 'contingency' plan.

The imbecilic Gilderoy Lockhart was not the only one who knew how to use Oblivation Charms! Severus knew how to do them with subtlety.

For the moment, he ignored the Auror. He couldn't answer any of her stupid questions, anyway, though he did want to hear the answers, himself. Instead, he directed his attention back to Oliver Wood.

"She has been over-sedated, Wood," he said, the usual biting snark completely absent from his voice. Severus needed the boy to listen, and more importantly to HEAR what he said. "She is on the brink of Asphodel poisoning."

HE vaguely wondered if his dramatic first-year-speech was still memorable to the other man.

"Draught of the Living Death?" he said as he gazed piercingly at Wood, his own brows raised inquiringly.

With far more gentleness than many believed him capable of, he gingerly transferred the tiny limp form from his lap into her father's arms. He immediately noticed the lack of her warmth - but he also realised she was not as warm as she ought to have been. Once Wood had the child, Severus pressed the small vial of antidote into the hand nearest him.

"She is in shock. Get her home, and summon a Healer as soon as possible. You must keep her warm - but not magically - warming her too quickly will make her condition worse. Push fluids - mild fluids. Watered-down juice or broth. And you must give her one drop of this antidote every six hours starting from now - I have already given her one. Do not over-dose her, and do not miss a dose. Do this for two days, and it should eliminate the Asphodel from her system - though it is impossible for me to know how much she has had. Your Healer should be able to advise you beyond that point."

It was then that he remembered Wood was 'dating' Ginevra.

"Ginevra is more than skilled enough to address this - do not waste time."

He lowered his voice, and leant forward, almost nose-to-nose with Oliver over the rag-doll form of the child between them. His worried expression gave way to one of cold menace.

"If Remus and Derrick are incarcerated over this - over trying to aid you, there will be Hell to pay."

[mroliverwood]

Oliver was holding Wini close to his chest, and she gave quiet cries against his arm. "Wini, its okay..." He jiggled her gently before Snape's words began sinking into his mind. He turned to face the man, slowly. "Poisoning?" His eyes grew huge and he looked down at his daughter. "No. No, no no no." He swallowed, taking the vial. "Home. Right. Home." Snape's instructions swirled around in his mind as he tried to focus. "Fluids. Joos-juice, broth... Six hours.. Don't forget... Two days..." his eyes swam. "Ginny. Right. Okay."

"Hold on," said the Auror quickly. "Yes -- I understand you need to get her home, but why doesn't someone tell me what is going on here? Who is this woman? Who found Winifred Wood?"

[inner_human]

It seemed this wasn't Snape's first encounter with Winifred Wood. But Perry had little time to dwell on how tenderly Snape treated the child. They had to "secure" Dora and clean up their tracks before anyone else arrived.

Which happened all too soon, to Perry's liking.

Wood was one thing, but he had an Auror with him? In hindsight, Perry thought that maybe he could've found a better way of calling for help. But what else could he do, with Wini in such a state? He just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. He caught the wary look from Snape and then looked to the Auror, his form rigid. He did not like Aurors.

"That's her." He nodded to Dora... but he said nothing more. Every question the woman posed inspired him to keep all the more quiet. Did it matter who found Wini? Perry didn't want his name in the papers, and more importantly, he didn't want this woman to know he was a werewolf. But with Snape and Remus there, he probably had little chance of hiding it. He looked to his companions urgently. Can we go?

[m4moony]

"Miss Popplewaite, if I may?"

Having ascertained that Winifred would be best under Severus' care almost as soon as the Potions Master had slipped past him to see to her, Remus had little time to begin securing the area, let alone bringing that woman back into what could now be assumed to be her flat, before Wood and the young Aurors were pounding up the stairs.

Now, moving to the window, he banished Perry's signal without waiting for the Auror's approval. As she had commented, others were sure to have seen it as long as it had been in the sky. There was no need to further advertise their position. He could already see Severus tensing in preparation of something and Perry's look said all Remus needed to know about the state of panic he was in.

"This woman appears to have been stalking Coach Wood for quite sometime," he continued, still not giving the young auror a chance to respond. "Tracking her to this flat, Winifred was discovered as having been here this entire time. As you can see, the child is clearly ill and in need of rather immediate medical attention. Surely it does her no good to remain here while the details are sorted out."

"I understand that, Professor. But--"

"Does it truly matter which of us found the child," Remus countered, unconsciously mirroring Perry's thoughts and for much the same reason. The less Auror Popplewaite knew of the specifics, the easier it would be to get them all out of there without arousing further suspicions. "As you state, curfew is already well past and unless you are willing to vouch for those of us who might fall under its boundaries, it might be better to send someone 'round to ask us your questions later so we can return home now that the child is safe."

"You're asking me to look the other way and ignore the breach of curfew, Professor. Nevin is still my partner. You know what he'll be like if he learns I let you go."

Ah, damn. Even without being physically present, Broderick Nevin was a thorn in Remus' side.

"Miss Popplewaite, you were present for the interrogation," he said quietly, playing on her sympathies in a way he never would have in any other circumstances. But, he would not allow Perry to be imprisoned for his good deed. "What do you think Nevin will do if he were to find us still here?"

[subtle_simmer]

This was quite the end of Severus' tolerance, and patience. He was not going to let more Aurors see them, thus!

Severus rose from his chair and planted himself in front of Derrick, flicking his left wrist and dropping his unregistered wand into the hand. All he required was eye-contact with the Auror, which she provided the moment he stood. Another flick of his wrist, this time with the wand in-hand, and her eyes glazed over slightly as she sagged against the door-frame, as though suddenly light-headed.

"Out of here, now," Severus hissed to Remus and Derrick. "She will be disoriented as to time when she rouses, and will forget that we were here after curfew."

He didn't spare attention for Wood, or bother to add more threats to the one already bestowed. If Oliver Wood betrayed them after being instrumental in the return of his daughter, Severus would be swift in his retribution.

The Obliviate should hold - Severus had deliberately tweaked the slightest information possible, rather than try to do something drastic as eliminate all recollection of their presence, entirely. A mere fuzziness of exact time would be sufficient to protect them, and be almost impossible to break or detect. In all likelihood, the girl would not even suspect her memories had been tampered with.

Severus was damned good at his 'job'.

"Go, now," he said again, more urgently. He wasn't about to Apparate out until he knew the other two were gone.

[m4moony]

And so the opportunity to talk Auror Popplewaite into cooperation was removed from Remus' hands.

Perhaps it was just as well. Gryffindor though he may be, Remus was not above using whatever means were necessary to ensure the safety of his pack and they could not take the chance of Brocerick Nevin being the next one on the scene. After the interrogation two months ago, he had little reason to believe Nevin would care that it was a werewolf who had saved the little girl. He would only see a chance to visit the same torture upon Perry that he'd used on Remus.

"Right." Decision made, Remus switched gears in an instant. Turning to Perry, it was the pack Alpha and not the school professor who began giving orders. "Go home by the least direct route. But be quick about it."

Sparing the briefest of thoughts for Wood, he paused long enough to clasp a hand reassuringly on the younger man's shoulder.

"I'm glad she'll be okay, Wood."

He turned then to regard Severus seriously for a moment, knowing the dark man would need to be the last to leave to make sure his spells hold. Much as it galled him to leave Severus behind, he was still able to see the wisdom in getting them all out of there NOW.

"I'll be waiting. If you don't follow in ten minutes," he warned, "I'll be coming back to find you."